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kHz or KHZ?
2

kHz or KHZ?

kHz or KHZ?

(OP)
Does anyone know the correct abbreviation for kilohertz? I was taught that KHz, with a capital K, is correct. I often see kHz (small k) used in professional publications
but sometimes see KHz (capital K) used too.

The following link,

'http://dictionary.reference.com/search?=measurement

shows a lot of units tables and under 'Prefixes'shows a capital K as the abbreviation for kilo. I think this is correct, but I would appreciate other arguments so I get this right. I often create documentation and text for displays that use this abbreviation, so I would like to be technically correct on this.

Thanks for your help.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

(big) K is temperature in Kelvin.
(little) k is a prefix meaning 1000.

Hence KHz is an odd unit meaning Kelvin/sec, kHz is 1000Hz.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

Likely the dictionary was set by Word where they try to change the first letter to a capital in certain situations.  I run into the problem with MPa - they keep wanting to change the "P" to a "p".  

As noted, "K" is temperature, "k" is kilo.  I know a structural engineer who has major fits when he sees "KM" on drawings/signs when it should be "km".  I get upset when I see KPa instead of kPa. Stick with convention.  ASTM has a standard giving all these little prefixes etc.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

Likewise CM when they mean m3!

------------------------------------------
     "...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail."

              Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

RE: kHz or KHZ?

I actually misread the original post.  Whilst KHz is equivalent to K/s, who knows what a HZ is?  I.e. capital H and capital Z.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

I think that was just a typo, he used a small z in his actual posting...
By the way, that URL in the OP is strange, it appears correct but every time I click it I get sent to the definition page for the word "nothing"!
Here is the correct URL, even though it appears to be the same as in the OP, I tested it and it takes me to the corerect page.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=measurement
Interesting to note that on that same page, they correctly show the abbreviation for kilograms as kg, not Kg, so they aren't even consistent with themselves!

This has been discussed in here before. I too believe the increased misuse is mainly a result of word processor programs that auto correct. I had to specifically train mine to ignore it in that case, but whenever I use someone else's PC I have to be careful again.

Another reason I think it has become more prevalent with the  computer set is because of the fact that kilobytes in computer speak is abbreviated KB, instead of kB as it should have been. This I believe came about because first we had kilobits, that would have been abbreviated as kb, but kb already had an official meaning in genetics, kilobase. So they abbreviated kilobits as Kb, then when they defined 8 bits as a Byte, they capitalized the B to differentiate, but kept the K because it was directly related to Kb. Now so many computer users see KB on specifications, they ASSume that K means kilo instead of k. I have seen people use this as an argument for the correct use of K for kilo, but they are sadly repeating an oft made mistake.

Inexcusable for a dictionary service to get it wrong though, and by the way, that is not the only one that is incorrect on that subject. http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/kilobyte

This one seems to think it's OK for all abbreviations to be capitalized. I guess it makes life easier for the lazy bit-heads WHO LEAVE THE CAPS KEY ON ALL THE TIME!

Eng-Tips: Help for your job, not for your homework  Read FAQ731-376

RE: kHz or KHZ?

jraef,

There's a leading apostrophe on the OP's URL. Probably the origin of the problem.

----------------------------------
  I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

RE: kHz or KHZ?

jraef, I've learnt that the reasond for upper-case K in computerspeak is different:
k = 1000
K = 1024
There are actually two type of "kilo" unfortunately.
For the lower-case/upper-case use of b for bit and B for byte I agree with you.

Benta.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

benta,
It appears that you may have something there, Wiki (not the end-all source, but a decent one) lists both as acceptable, but alludes to your version, Wiki kilobyte link and this story is exactly as you put it k vs K for KB link To be honest, it makes more sense.

I heard my version circa 1974 at Intel during training on 8088 mPs when I asked that very question. Maybe the original tribal knowledge has been supplanted by something more relevant.

Eng-Tips: Help for your job, not for your homework  Read FAQ731-376

RE: kHz or KHZ?

One of my favorites to play on my fellow nerdy engineers. I ask them: "Have you ever heard of a Hertz donut?"

After the expected negative reply, I give them a sharp knuckle-punch on the tricep and say: "Hurts, don' it!".

=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

KHz or kHZ,CM or cm ,MPa or mPa REALLY puzzle me!!This maybe a big serious problem!

Regard!

Shawn Zhang
PROE2001
PROEWF2
CATIA V5R12
**************************************
Be firm,just ,and true!
**************************************

RE: kHz or KHZ?

Either one memorizes them, or one pretends there is logic to the system.  

The logic is more or less that the prefixes (k,c, m,M) are lower-case for negative powers of 10, and mostly upper-case for positive powers of 10, except for k, c, da.

http://www.bipm.fr/en/si/prefixes.html

The unit symbols themselves (Hz, Pa, m, K, s) are capitalized only if they are named after a person (but then when you spell out the word (hertz, pascal) it's still lower case).  This is only useful as a mnemonic if you happen to know the history of the unit.

http://www.bipm.fr/en/si/base_units/
http://www.bipm.fr/en/si/derived_units/2-2-2.html

But because both the prefixes and the unit symbols themselves can either be capitalized or not, you get weird mixes like kHz, mPa, MPa.  Gotta watch that you don't accidentally let your word processor "correct" the capitalization for you.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376

RE: kHz or KHZ?

All this discussion about differences in prefixes, and what they mean to different occupations.

I am surprised no one has discussed the henway.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

See ASME-Y14.38M (or MIL-STD-12D) for abbreviations used on drawings and docs.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: kHz or KHZ?

My apologies, you have. I am new to the site and have enjoyed ready everyones posts. I have also been catching up on other threads.

This looks like a great group.

RE: kHz or KHZ?

pols624
I've head that conversion as 6 or 7 lbs. but there is a lot of regional varince and it is not a prcise measurement at best.
True story.
I was waiting with some other people for a train that was late and the station agent came out of his office. He appologised for the delay. He said the train had been held up by a "henway" on the tracks.
Someone asked "What's a henway" You know the rest.
yours

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